Meet Kristin Beale and Her Indie Comic Book “Date Me,” Now a Live Action YouTube Series

I met Kristin Beale at a professional photo shoot at a community bank. Kristin was there to model for the shoot and during a break, we started to talk about what else she does. It turns out that Kristin is an author who also draws her own series of online comic strips. Even better, she’s published her work as an indie comic book.

Her comic style is simple, resembling the webcomic XKCD, Kristin was hesitant to talk at first. But, as my son says, there are different styles for different people. And the fact that Kristin has found success with her comic series, my son has been proven right.

After the photo shoot, I was able to follow up with Kristin and ask how she got started in comics, and about her collection, which is available as a printed book.

INDIE COMICS ZONE:
Tell us a little bit about yourself…

KRISTIN BEALE:
My name is Kristin Beale and I’m in a wheelchair. I’m leading with my trauma because it’s a huge reason for the way I am today – my personality, my perspective, and my lifestyle choices. I started writing after my accident as a way to process my new world, remember everything that was happening to me, and as an “Easy A” when I returned to school from the hospital. My love grew into now, where I’m an author full-time. I’m living my dream, really. It’s so much fun.

INDIE COMICS ZONE:
You’re a published writer… why did you want to get into comics and cartooning? What is attractive about that genre of publication for you?

KRISTIN BEALE:
Drawing cartoons was another positive that came from my accident, paralysis, and new lifestyle. A goal of my writing and my cartoons is to level the playing field a bit; people with disabilities are lumped into a category of “other” because we look different, have more going on, more challenges. That’s not a bad thing — it’s just a thing. With my writing and drawing, I’m hoping to relate to people in a way that says “I’m just like you, just sitting down.” Then, for the things that aren’t as relatable to my able-bodied peers, hopefully I can add a little humor to them.

INDIE COMICS ZONE:
Tell us about your comic title, “Date Me”

KRISTIN BEALE:
“Date Me” is a comic book I published in 2018 about dating in a wheelchair. Making the book came from my desire to turn a miserable experience (dating) into something worthwhile (a book) — something to make me feel like I wasn’t completely wasting my time, money, and energy on all the failed first dates I was going on. For the book “research,” I went on 32 dates in 2 ½ months, changed the boys’ names, and made a comic out of how rude, overly sexual, and uncomfortable they were acting. Call that my revenge, but their names were changed and the comic retelling made it fun!

INDIE COMICS ZONE:
What has been the reaction so far from “Date Me?”

KRISTIN BEALE:
I’ve had about 7 guys confront me after the book came out, either excited to be in the book and laughing at their comic, or they just ghosted me all over again. Everything in the book was 100% true and I changed their names, but they probably didn’t have trouble figuring out which was them.

I can’t imagine that “Jack” has gone on more than one first date and chosen Schindler’s List as a movie to watch, for example. For me, now that I’m completely removed from them, it has been fun to tell the story behind my dates again.

INDIE COMICS ZONE:
Do you ever do signings or appear at comic conventions or author signings?

KRISTIN BEALE:
I don’t go to many signings, except when I’m doing something big in my business (a new book, public speaking, etc.). As for a convention, I’ve never been to one but I would love to!

INDIE COMICS ZONE:
What was the hardest part of creating an image-centric book vs. a word-centric book?

KRISTIN BEALE:
This was actually the easiest and most fun book I’ve created, but the struggle is more on the back end. The marketing for a comic book is completely different than for a word-centered book, so I’ve had to alter my approaches to marketing and sales.

INDIE COMICS ZONE:
How do you create your illustrations?

KRISTIN BEALE:
There’s probably a more efficient way to be creating these comics, but I haven’t found something better than my pen, paper, and scanner. I tried making them digitally — even bought an iPad for it — but it wasn’t the same.

INDIE COMICS ZONE:
Can you tell us about any projects you have coming out soon?

KRISTIN BEALE:
Yes, and I have lots!

Episode 2 of a TV series [very tightly] based on my comic book, “Date Me,” is currently being edited for release. Episode one is on YouTube.

I publish a comic on Instagram every Tuesday or on Mondays in a newsletter — you can sign up here.

I have 3 books (including the comic book) out now, and another coming out next year. For more info on its release, follow my personal Instagram, Facebook, or my comic newsletter. I’m really excited about it.